Sony Console Hype Amped on YouTube, Ads and Twitter

Sony has been working hard to build interest in its event in New York today, during which the company is expected to unveil a next-generation videogame console.

The first step was on January 31, when Sony announced the PlayStation meeting in an email to the press, along with a website and a Tweet enticing fans to “see the future” at the event. The website included a video the company posted on YouTube featuring thumping music playing as animations of the PlayStation’s signature button icons floated in space.

Sony followed up with documentary-style videos chronicling its rapid rise as a major player in the videogame industry. The first video, about the launch of the original PlayStation in 1994, garnered roughly 130,000 views, but subsequent videos have been more popular as gamers have become more aware of Wednesday’s event. The video about the launch of the PlayStation 3, for example, has nearly 400,000 views.

Game blogs have also caught wind of various advertisements pointing at Sony’s event. One of the ads circulating around game blogs said “‘Oh, Yay, Another Mario Game.’ Step Up To PlayStation 2/20,” a dig at Nintendo 's iconic plumber-mascot.

A Sony spokesman didn’t immediately respond to questions about whether the ads were created by the electronics giant. A Nintendo spokeswoman declined to comment.

American Express also tried to capitalize on the growing interest in Sony’s event, taking out an ad under the #PlayStation2013 hashtag that Sony’s been promoting to hawk a rival machine. The ad? A promoted tweet from Microsoft 's Xbox account about a sale on its game console for AmEx owners. (An AmEx spokesman said the ad was part of a promotion program it has running for the Xbox console).

Sony’s event will start at 6pm ET, and we’ll be covering it live at the Digits blog.